Wednesday, December 24, 2008
go Cam!
Cameron must have done something right because this look is becoming quite heavily sought-after and "signaturized" (<---Is that even a word?). I already did a post about this picture a couple of days ago too. Love her casual, cool demeanor.
Adriana
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Everyone!
I was browsing through my usual celeb sites and stumbled across the Victoria Secret's runway show pictures. Is it me or does Adriana Lima look more emaciated? Oh well, she's has to be one of the hottest women of all time...someone saw her in person and said she still looks gorgeous even without makeup= tell-tale sign of real, superficial beauty.
I was browsing through my usual celeb sites and stumbled across the Victoria Secret's runway show pictures. Is it me or does Adriana Lima look more emaciated? Oh well, she's has to be one of the hottest women of all time...someone saw her in person and said she still looks gorgeous even without makeup= tell-tale sign of real, superficial beauty.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Revolutionary Road
I can't wait to watch Revolutionary Road as the Titanic-duo (Leo & Kate) teams up again for what I'm hoping to be a movie blockbuster. I was tempted to pick up the book at Target to start reading, but you should see my book queue...it's pathetic. I haven't had ANY TIME to read anything! Hopefully, by next year, I'll have a little bit of downtime- especially since I'm trying to be more frugal=staying home more often- to start reading the books that are collecting dust.
I just started the "Michelle" book last week and it's off to a great start. Although I'm a registered Republican, you won't believe how many biographies of Democratic politicians I own! What can I say- Democrats lead more scandalous lives.
I always research the Amazon book reviews before I purchase any book and one particular review caught my eye about Revolutionary Road:
hard lessons, October 28, 2003
By Gulley Jimson (Bethesda, MD) - See all my reviews Reading the praise for this book actually made me less inclined to read it. Another unmasking of the banality of the suburbs and the bland conformity of the 50s didn't strike me as particularly appealing or necessary. Both of those things have been unmasked so often that I wonder why anyone bothers with either; there's nothing left to expose.
The choice of target is also a little unfair: first, hypocrisy and small-mindedness are not localized in the suburbs to the extent that authors and filmmakers seem to think. If a writer deliberately populates his story with caricatured materialistic bourgeois, then he shouldn't expect it to be a legitimate criticism of the age. In any case, if an audience can separate themselves too easily from the people being described, the book has no sting - like American Beauty had no sting. A real work of art should hurt a little.
But Revolutionary Road was not what I expected from the reviews. Yates knows all of the pitfalls of the standard send-up of the middle class: the main characters in his story are not the usual suburban types, but people who consider themselves better than the dull people in their neighborhood; they mock the people that we, as readers, are so used to mocking, and become our surrogates.
The real theme of this book is much deeper, and it transcends the era and even the plot of the book: what do people do when they are intelligent and spirited enough not to be satisfied with the conformity and blandness of their surroundings, but lack the drive to ever escape mediocrity, because they are, fundamentally, much more a part of their environment than they imagine?
The tragedy of this book is the discovery that you are, after all, perhaps not as extraordinary as you thought - and that has sting, because all of us, at some time, have thought that we were a bit better than the people around us, and most of us have realized with horror (although the realization doesn't always stick around) that we aren't as different, as far above them, as we thought. Many of the moments in this book stick with you because they remind you of those moments when you came face to face with your own mediocrity, and challenges you to either be honest with yourself about what you are, or try sincerely to fulfill the ambitions that you have pursued so halfheartedly until now.
It's a hard lesson to deal with: I can tell why this book didn't sell. The writing, by the way, is beautiful; scene after scene springs effortlessly to life, and you can't tell how much skill is involved until you go back and read it again.
I remember reading once that Yates - against the advice of his publishers - called this book Revolutionary Road because it seemed to him that the promise of the nation was petering out in the 50s, that the ambition and hope that had marked its founding had slowly led to a dead-end of uninspired and uninspiring prosperity (for some people, at least) - that the end of the revolutionary road had been reached.
This is overstated, and Yates's vision often seems to me unaccountably dark, as if he was blind to everything but his thesis. Something about his outlook is right, though; the problem with the society isn't necessarily that it's hypocritical or conformist or mediocre, but that it produces people with such a horrible gap between aspiration and capacity - it gives them the leisure and intelligence to want a fuller life while robbing them of the backbone to get it.
****
I love movies/books where it forces one to really take a step back and look at your lives from the outside in.
Remember, "A life unexamined is not worth living"!
Merry Christmas Y'all,
P
I just started the "Michelle" book last week and it's off to a great start. Although I'm a registered Republican, you won't believe how many biographies of Democratic politicians I own! What can I say- Democrats lead more scandalous lives.
I always research the Amazon book reviews before I purchase any book and one particular review caught my eye about Revolutionary Road:
hard lessons, October 28, 2003
By Gulley Jimson (Bethesda, MD) - See all my reviews Reading the praise for this book actually made me less inclined to read it. Another unmasking of the banality of the suburbs and the bland conformity of the 50s didn't strike me as particularly appealing or necessary. Both of those things have been unmasked so often that I wonder why anyone bothers with either; there's nothing left to expose.
The choice of target is also a little unfair: first, hypocrisy and small-mindedness are not localized in the suburbs to the extent that authors and filmmakers seem to think. If a writer deliberately populates his story with caricatured materialistic bourgeois, then he shouldn't expect it to be a legitimate criticism of the age. In any case, if an audience can separate themselves too easily from the people being described, the book has no sting - like American Beauty had no sting. A real work of art should hurt a little.
But Revolutionary Road was not what I expected from the reviews. Yates knows all of the pitfalls of the standard send-up of the middle class: the main characters in his story are not the usual suburban types, but people who consider themselves better than the dull people in their neighborhood; they mock the people that we, as readers, are so used to mocking, and become our surrogates.
The real theme of this book is much deeper, and it transcends the era and even the plot of the book: what do people do when they are intelligent and spirited enough not to be satisfied with the conformity and blandness of their surroundings, but lack the drive to ever escape mediocrity, because they are, fundamentally, much more a part of their environment than they imagine?
The tragedy of this book is the discovery that you are, after all, perhaps not as extraordinary as you thought - and that has sting, because all of us, at some time, have thought that we were a bit better than the people around us, and most of us have realized with horror (although the realization doesn't always stick around) that we aren't as different, as far above them, as we thought. Many of the moments in this book stick with you because they remind you of those moments when you came face to face with your own mediocrity, and challenges you to either be honest with yourself about what you are, or try sincerely to fulfill the ambitions that you have pursued so halfheartedly until now.
It's a hard lesson to deal with: I can tell why this book didn't sell. The writing, by the way, is beautiful; scene after scene springs effortlessly to life, and you can't tell how much skill is involved until you go back and read it again.
I remember reading once that Yates - against the advice of his publishers - called this book Revolutionary Road because it seemed to him that the promise of the nation was petering out in the 50s, that the ambition and hope that had marked its founding had slowly led to a dead-end of uninspired and uninspiring prosperity (for some people, at least) - that the end of the revolutionary road had been reached.
This is overstated, and Yates's vision often seems to me unaccountably dark, as if he was blind to everything but his thesis. Something about his outlook is right, though; the problem with the society isn't necessarily that it's hypocritical or conformist or mediocre, but that it produces people with such a horrible gap between aspiration and capacity - it gives them the leisure and intelligence to want a fuller life while robbing them of the backbone to get it.
****
I love movies/books where it forces one to really take a step back and look at your lives from the outside in.
Remember, "A life unexamined is not worth living"!
Merry Christmas Y'all,
P
Monday, December 22, 2008
fashion icons
In light of the sub-thirties temps. in Sac lately, I found these pictures quite enticing. I love the winter merely for the opportunity to rock some cozy outfits! Don't worry, this isn't turning into a fashion blog; these are just things I came across that I wanted to share.
As I digress- this Christmas season has been the most hectic one I've experienced thus far! OMG, with the double-move in progress, gifts to STILL be wrapped, an old abode to clean, and attempts to sneak in some much-needed R & R, I find myself trying to stay afloat. Not to worry my friends, there is a silver lining to every cloud- speaking of which- I ACTUALLY SAW A CLOUD WITH A SILVER LINING ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY! My freshman year at a small, liberal arts college-that I won't mention because no one seems to know which school I'm talking about- was tainted with learning school songs that would hopefully forever embed a lasting impression of our alma mater...truth be told, the songs stuck and haunt me to this day (more in a good way than bad)! One particular song out of the plethora of songs we learned while at soccer camp had a verse that went something like this: "There's a silver lining, to the dark cloud shining, turn the dark cloud inside out..." This song started haunting me when I saw that silver lining on my commute to work this morning.
Heidi, if you're reading this, drop me a comment and let me know what the rest of the verses were...I totally forgot!
As I digress- this Christmas season has been the most hectic one I've experienced thus far! OMG, with the double-move in progress, gifts to STILL be wrapped, an old abode to clean, and attempts to sneak in some much-needed R & R, I find myself trying to stay afloat. Not to worry my friends, there is a silver lining to every cloud- speaking of which- I ACTUALLY SAW A CLOUD WITH A SILVER LINING ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY! My freshman year at a small, liberal arts college-that I won't mention because no one seems to know which school I'm talking about- was tainted with learning school songs that would hopefully forever embed a lasting impression of our alma mater...truth be told, the songs stuck and haunt me to this day (more in a good way than bad)! One particular song out of the plethora of songs we learned while at soccer camp had a verse that went something like this: "There's a silver lining, to the dark cloud shining, turn the dark cloud inside out..." This song started haunting me when I saw that silver lining on my commute to work this morning.
Heidi, if you're reading this, drop me a comment and let me know what the rest of the verses were...I totally forgot!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
I love scarves!
I love the outfits in this picture (most notably, the center one), but I love how scarves are never out of vogue.
I almost never get buyer's remorse when I buy a scarf; hence why I have a gazillion of 'em!
I almost never get buyer's remorse when I buy a scarf; hence why I have a gazillion of 'em!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
an ethnocentric comment
Cot damn, why does it seem like Filipinos always do it better?!-- more later on the substantial evidence I've compiled that would make me say such a bigoted comment because otherwise, on any given day, I'm a cultural person.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sin City
Stay tuned for my escapades in Las Vegas and my sore luck at trying to "sin" in this damn city. Damn, why can't I stay up past 3:30 am??? I'm such a schmooze- I've always been the first one to fall asleep at slumber parties when I was a teenager!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Inaugural Ball designers
This is so awesome- top designers have hit their sketchbooks for Michelle Obama's dress on Inauguration Day. I love drawing (when I have time and inspiration) but I've always wanted to develop a knack for clothing design sketching.
My pick for Michelle's dress would have to be a mesh between LaCroix's and Marc Jacob's renditions...oh how I love me some Marc Jacobs paraphernalia!
My pick for Michelle's dress would have to be a mesh between LaCroix's and Marc Jacob's renditions...oh how I love me some Marc Jacobs paraphernalia!
bounce-back
I totally forgot to mention that I love J. Alba as well- more for aesthetic reasons, of course- and danggg, that girl done bounced back to pre-baby body like whoa! Only this girl can get away with a not-so-flattering-way-too-long-over-the-brow-FRINGE.
Reese
"I have cellulite. I have stretch marks. I feel intimidated by Victoria's Secret. Hollywood is one of those endless competitions, but it's like running a race toward nothing. There's no winning. You're never going to win the pretty race. I just want to be the best version of myself that I can be." -Reese Witherspoon
.I am officially obsessed.
I keep up with celebrities (I know, I'm pathetic), and Reese has gotta be my most favorite inside and out.
.I am officially obsessed.
I keep up with celebrities (I know, I'm pathetic), and Reese has gotta be my most favorite inside and out.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
a weird idiosyncrasy of mine (amongst others)
I was telling my sister today what I do to prevent my teeth from staining when I drink coffee or lattes. First of all, I hardly ever order any coffee/latte drink HOT...I'm weird- I get all of my coffee drinks ICED-even in the dead-middle of winter. So I sip with a straw and tuck my lips onto my teeth and sip... and, VOILA- the drink has no contact with my teeth!
Also, everyone close to me knows that I hate having my bare feet touch public places, most notably hotel room floors and carpets. So to compensate for this "disorder", I curl my feet inwards so as to reduce the surface area of my foot touching the carpet/tiles (kind of like a scrunched-up foot fist). I even do this crap in a 4-star hotel shower (hey, you never know what goes down in that establishment-eek!). I have no idear why I am like this.
So if you see any of my extremities contorted in weird angles or my facial features askew, you'll know that my idiosyncracies are at play and I'm not retarded.
P
P.S. Did I mention I also have this twitch where I feel like one rib on my ribcage is longer than the others? I get this way when I wear tighter-than-normal jeans. :D
***EDIT: I also hate it when my foot pinky toe gets stuck to my other toe, so I have to take off my shoes and socks to pry them apart.
Also, everyone close to me knows that I hate having my bare feet touch public places, most notably hotel room floors and carpets. So to compensate for this "disorder", I curl my feet inwards so as to reduce the surface area of my foot touching the carpet/tiles (kind of like a scrunched-up foot fist). I even do this crap in a 4-star hotel shower (hey, you never know what goes down in that establishment-eek!). I have no idear why I am like this.
So if you see any of my extremities contorted in weird angles or my facial features askew, you'll know that my idiosyncracies are at play and I'm not retarded.
P
P.S. Did I mention I also have this twitch where I feel like one rib on my ribcage is longer than the others? I get this way when I wear tighter-than-normal jeans. :D
***EDIT: I also hate it when my foot pinky toe gets stuck to my other toe, so I have to take off my shoes and socks to pry them apart.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
what a beaut
I dithered back and forth about returning back to my normal hair color, but after seeing these gorgeous pics of the ever-so glamorous, impeccable Pilipina actress/entertainer, K.C. Concepcion, I don't feel so bad anymore. She's sooo pretty!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Holiday Weekend Blockbuster
...no, I didn't see "Four Christmases" on Thanksgiving Day...
However, I did see the movie, "Walk the Line"- I bought it on sale at Target on Black Friday, hehe. My new favorite actress is Reese Witherspoon. I think perhaps "Walk the Line" was the zenith of Reese's acting career. She is imbued with such talent, congeniality and charisma...I can see why Ryan's self-esteem went to dookie when he was married to this belle!
I don't have a particular gravitational pull to read up on country singers, but after this movie, I was compelled to google "Johnny Cash" and was sincerely interested in his life story. I love this movie! The performances were absolutely stellar and enticed me to grow a newfound curiosity into the world of country stars. I guess I just figured they all sang about their dead dogs, appliances in the front yard, and how their guns done killed their wives.
However, I did see the movie, "Walk the Line"- I bought it on sale at Target on Black Friday, hehe. My new favorite actress is Reese Witherspoon. I think perhaps "Walk the Line" was the zenith of Reese's acting career. She is imbued with such talent, congeniality and charisma...I can see why Ryan's self-esteem went to dookie when he was married to this belle!
I don't have a particular gravitational pull to read up on country singers, but after this movie, I was compelled to google "Johnny Cash" and was sincerely interested in his life story. I love this movie! The performances were absolutely stellar and enticed me to grow a newfound curiosity into the world of country stars. I guess I just figured they all sang about their dead dogs, appliances in the front yard, and how their guns done killed their wives.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
new release: Outliers
I can't wait to read this book...I have to get through Talent's Overrated first though. Oh, my never-ending book queue. *sighs*
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Is the U.S. stupid?
On my commute to work this morning, Armstrong & Getty talk radio was discussing how the numbers of high school and college graduates in the U.S. are steadily declining. Only 75% of high school seniors are graduating in stark contrast to about 97-98% of South Korean graduates. I know this is not new news, especially considering the fact that any country besides the U.S. seems to be more academically rigorous.
A couple of questions- if this statistic is the case, then why is it still difficult to "get ahead" if 25% of U.S. high school students aren't graduating? Even more, only 50% of college attendees are even receiving their diplomas- so why is it seemingly still competitive in terms of securing financial success if there is less of the populace receiving high school and collegiate degrees, therefore leading to, one would think, a less competitive job pool? It is sad enough that a mere college degree will not promise success; hell, that's almost a compulsory requirement to even compete in our dwindling job market.
Armstrong & Getty attributes our dwarfed intellectual power in comparison to other countries-most notably in Asia-to our indulgence in affluence. I liked how they compared the U.S. to a "dottling fat king" sans any motivation or drive to become better. Countries like Korea or China are less endowed and downright poor and students spend more of their time studying and achieving academic success in order to avoid plight and as a means to bolster a brighter future.
I guess it pays to be poor because we sho' are a lot more humble and hardworking that way.
P
**EDIT: My blog post title was a rhetorical question, so no need to reply...but feel free to! My blood is boiling for a hot debate!
A couple of questions- if this statistic is the case, then why is it still difficult to "get ahead" if 25% of U.S. high school students aren't graduating? Even more, only 50% of college attendees are even receiving their diplomas- so why is it seemingly still competitive in terms of securing financial success if there is less of the populace receiving high school and collegiate degrees, therefore leading to, one would think, a less competitive job pool? It is sad enough that a mere college degree will not promise success; hell, that's almost a compulsory requirement to even compete in our dwindling job market.
Armstrong & Getty attributes our dwarfed intellectual power in comparison to other countries-most notably in Asia-to our indulgence in affluence. I liked how they compared the U.S. to a "dottling fat king" sans any motivation or drive to become better. Countries like Korea or China are less endowed and downright poor and students spend more of their time studying and achieving academic success in order to avoid plight and as a means to bolster a brighter future.
I guess it pays to be poor because we sho' are a lot more humble and hardworking that way.
P
**EDIT: My blog post title was a rhetorical question, so no need to reply...but feel free to! My blood is boiling for a hot debate!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Brad on Oprah
This man is so endearing (despite what he did to Jennifer)...~sighs~
http://www.usmagazine.com/news/brad-pitt-my-kids-are-the-funniest-people-i-ever-met
***EDIT: After watching the video, I noticed that he has his hand over his mouth after Oprah questions him- from a body language expert (not myself), this gesture usually is indicative of lying...covering the mouth indicates lying or some sort of fabrication.
http://www.usmagazine.com/news/brad-pitt-my-kids-are-the-funniest-people-i-ever-met
***EDIT: After watching the video, I noticed that he has his hand over his mouth after Oprah questions him- from a body language expert (not myself), this gesture usually is indicative of lying...covering the mouth indicates lying or some sort of fabrication.
Monday, November 17, 2008
flying solo at the gym
I usually go to the gym in Sac with broham, but he's been working a ton of hours and just wants to kick back and play video games instead of working out. I can't really be that lackadaisical since I have half-marathon training resting on me.
The gym was packed at 9 pm and I resorted to getting on the only available Stairmaster. I initially wanted to run on the boring-ass treadmill since it is the next best thing to running a course outside...NOT! I really was going to do an hour on the treadmill to compensate for the week I was sick with some sort of respiratory cold. At any rate, the Stairmaster failed to let me down and I got an intense 30-minute sweat fest...I swear, that machine is the best stationary/cardio machine in a gym because it burns the most calories and makes you sweat like a pig. Sweating like a pig is a good thing, my friend.
So I am stretching out after my work-out...alone. I am mad because my new ipod Nano dies on me (it better be due to low battery or I'm kicking a genius's ass), so I fiddle around with it for a good 8 minutes. A tall, white guy comes up to me, almost resembling Michael Phelps...I am thinking that I took something of his or I invaded some space and he is just letting me know that he needs something back or I need to get the hell out of his way...UMMM NO...dude wanna throw some game at me. Okay, feller, gimme whatchu' got (Babe, this is for sake of a good story). So "Michael" asks me politely how my workout was and I had to make him repeat himself because I just about died from my astonishment. I mean, me, out of all people? He totally looked like a white kid that loved him some tall, white blonde with huge ta-tas. I have NONE of these characteristics, mind you.
The whole point of this blog post is not to tell the public that I'm flat-chested or that I don't think I can pull a white boy- my point is that it's really hard to approach women, let alone approach a woman at the gym. Or is it easier to approach a lass at a gym versus a club? I dunno, I've been out of the game for a while, so I need a refresher on these things... I'm old, remember?! And I'm in a serious relationship, remember?!
Case-in-point: I give this "Michael" props for mustering up the courage to come up and talk to me (not like I'm a goddess or something). He asked me if I had "problems at home"= Do I have a boyfriend or a husband? Very clever, I might add. The best was when he was making small talk after I kindly told him I was spoken for. I am tellin' ya', it's a rough world out there for dem men. So single ladies, be nice to those guys rappin' game to you- it takes guts; HOWEVER, know how to spot an asshole or playa...after all, game does recognize game.
The gym was packed at 9 pm and I resorted to getting on the only available Stairmaster. I initially wanted to run on the boring-ass treadmill since it is the next best thing to running a course outside...NOT! I really was going to do an hour on the treadmill to compensate for the week I was sick with some sort of respiratory cold. At any rate, the Stairmaster failed to let me down and I got an intense 30-minute sweat fest...I swear, that machine is the best stationary/cardio machine in a gym because it burns the most calories and makes you sweat like a pig. Sweating like a pig is a good thing, my friend.
So I am stretching out after my work-out...alone. I am mad because my new ipod Nano dies on me (it better be due to low battery or I'm kicking a genius's ass), so I fiddle around with it for a good 8 minutes. A tall, white guy comes up to me, almost resembling Michael Phelps...I am thinking that I took something of his or I invaded some space and he is just letting me know that he needs something back or I need to get the hell out of his way...UMMM NO...dude wanna throw some game at me. Okay, feller, gimme whatchu' got (Babe, this is for sake of a good story). So "Michael" asks me politely how my workout was and I had to make him repeat himself because I just about died from my astonishment. I mean, me, out of all people? He totally looked like a white kid that loved him some tall, white blonde with huge ta-tas. I have NONE of these characteristics, mind you.
The whole point of this blog post is not to tell the public that I'm flat-chested or that I don't think I can pull a white boy- my point is that it's really hard to approach women, let alone approach a woman at the gym. Or is it easier to approach a lass at a gym versus a club? I dunno, I've been out of the game for a while, so I need a refresher on these things... I'm old, remember?! And I'm in a serious relationship, remember?!
Case-in-point: I give this "Michael" props for mustering up the courage to come up and talk to me (not like I'm a goddess or something). He asked me if I had "problems at home"= Do I have a boyfriend or a husband? Very clever, I might add. The best was when he was making small talk after I kindly told him I was spoken for. I am tellin' ya', it's a rough world out there for dem men. So single ladies, be nice to those guys rappin' game to you- it takes guts; HOWEVER, know how to spot an asshole or playa...after all, game does recognize game.
UGG cravings
I am suffering from MAJOR cravings for UGGS!!! Yes, I know they aren't exactly the most fashion savviest piece of a fashionista's wardrobe, but they sure are comfy and probably the most durable boot out there (I've worn them everywhere and in every climate!). Granted, they are a bit pricey, but for comfort, it's a small price to pay. So, someone, BUY ME THE TALL GRAY UGGS in size 7, PERTY PLEASE!!! I may be forced to find other ways in securing these UGGS...like begging for them AGAIN from a certain special someone. :D
I find it comical that there is even a blog about UGGS...it proved actually quite amusing and informative all at the same time. http://www.igotuggs.com/
I find it comical that there is even a blog about UGGS...it proved actually quite amusing and informative all at the same time. http://www.igotuggs.com/
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
an another note- ruffle blouses
I know everyone saw Blair Waldorf's blouse last night! C'mon, I don't even watch "Gossip Girl" either, but now, due to the impeccable fashion taste on the show, I may now just buy each season's dvd!
Sad story- the bitch (the blouse) is sold out!! Such a statement, signature piece... if I get that blouse, I'll be sure to take some pics and post that on my Facebook as a trophy-mwahahaha!
P.S. You can buy the blouse here if it comes available AND if you have an extra 1,990 bucks to shell out: http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/product/35448?cm_mmc=LinkshareUS-_-ProductFeed-_-Bill+Blass-_-Tops&siteID=PkMdAyGsI.I-pfZsjVKjZqSF2bpUx3RV4g
Sad story- the bitch (the blouse) is sold out!! Such a statement, signature piece... if I get that blouse, I'll be sure to take some pics and post that on my Facebook as a trophy-mwahahaha!
P.S. You can buy the blouse here if it comes available AND if you have an extra 1,990 bucks to shell out: http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/product/35448?cm_mmc=LinkshareUS-_-ProductFeed-_-Bill+Blass-_-Tops&siteID=PkMdAyGsI.I-pfZsjVKjZqSF2bpUx3RV4g
Tuesday raid on Black comedy & music
Remember how I told y'all before that I absolutely LOVE Black comedy? Luckily, today "This Christmas" (starring my fav, Chris Brown) drops in stores today and YOU KNOW I'm "finna" cop that ish!!! The soundtrack to the movie is pretty good as well and is bound to get me in the mood for the holidays. Man, I love the holidays!!!
ALSO, T-Pain's new album drops today and I am for sure going to get that as well. I need some music to listen to on my commute home during the week, so this should hit the spot. Who knows why such a computer-synthesized voice such as T-Pain's would sell records.
I would normally make a trip to the local Circuit City in Concord, but ever since Circuit City went bankrupt and shut down ~150 stores, they also managed to shut down this particular store. Business must have been slow there; go figure though because the store was filthy and it needed some revamping in terms of how to catch the appeal of customers. Store lay-out is key people- talk to the Target marketing team...they strategically situate Women's clothing to the immediate right when one walks into the automatic sliding stores...how many women (including myself) have succumbed to taking a peak or a glance at the affordable designer pieces at Target just because that's the first thing one looks at when you march into the red bulls-eye?
P
ALSO, T-Pain's new album drops today and I am for sure going to get that as well. I need some music to listen to on my commute home during the week, so this should hit the spot. Who knows why such a computer-synthesized voice such as T-Pain's would sell records.
I would normally make a trip to the local Circuit City in Concord, but ever since Circuit City went bankrupt and shut down ~150 stores, they also managed to shut down this particular store. Business must have been slow there; go figure though because the store was filthy and it needed some revamping in terms of how to catch the appeal of customers. Store lay-out is key people- talk to the Target marketing team...they strategically situate Women's clothing to the immediate right when one walks into the automatic sliding stores...how many women (including myself) have succumbed to taking a peak or a glance at the affordable designer pieces at Target just because that's the first thing one looks at when you march into the red bulls-eye?
P
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sam Milby
I want to meet Sam and take a picture next to him just to see how good of a couple we make...~sighs~.
(Can't you see that I've run out of blog topics and have resorted to being a teenie-bopper? I will write something more substantial and thought-provoking next time. I haven't been able to read the intellectual giant magazines like 'Atlantic Monthly' lately due to my never-ending obsession with online shopping/browsing. Damn the fashion blogs that spark consumerist urges!)
P
(Can't you see that I've run out of blog topics and have resorted to being a teenie-bopper? I will write something more substantial and thought-provoking next time. I haven't been able to read the intellectual giant magazines like 'Atlantic Monthly' lately due to my never-ending obsession with online shopping/browsing. Damn the fashion blogs that spark consumerist urges!)
P
Saturday, October 25, 2008
a vice of mine
I thought I'd share one vice of mine to let others know I'm not as perfect as I seem...hahaha...just joking! Anyway, I really would like to downsize on my magazine subscription addiction just so I can have less paper in my room! To date, here are my current subscriptions:
1. Glamour
2. Cosmopolitan
3. Psychology Today
4. Self
5. 7x7
6. California Home & Design
7. San Francisco
Newly added-
8. Shape
9. Runner's World
Which magazines should I get rid of? I wind up just getting these magazines at Target monthly, which obviously costs $4-$5 a pop, so it makes more sense to keep my annual subscriptions of ~$12-20. I just hate all the clutter around my room and I'm trying to "Go Green"...
1. Glamour
2. Cosmopolitan
3. Psychology Today
4. Self
5. 7x7
6. California Home & Design
7. San Francisco
Newly added-
8. Shape
9. Runner's World
Which magazines should I get rid of? I wind up just getting these magazines at Target monthly, which obviously costs $4-$5 a pop, so it makes more sense to keep my annual subscriptions of ~$12-20. I just hate all the clutter around my room and I'm trying to "Go Green"...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
old knees
So I'm starting to train for the Kaiser Permanente Half-Marathon for this upcoming February '09 in San Francisco- so far, so good. My first week wasn't bad at all. Concomitantly, I am still doing my cardio kickboxing classes (don't laugh- the hour long class burns about 500-600 calories and gets your jabs and punches down to a T), so strength and stamina isn't that much of an issue. It's now just a matter of increasing my mileage weekly and strategically tapering off my running/workout schedule a couple of weeks before the race so I'm not puckered out.
...which brings me to the state of my knees...I triumphantly finished 6 miles yesterday evening and I was feeling really nice afterwards, but after dinner, my old-ass knees started acting up. They are sooo sore this morning! Omg...so sore. At any rate, I "hate to toot my own horn", but I am very proud of myself that I finished this distance under an hour (I gave myself an hour to finish). Thus far, for my first week, I surpassed the intermediate level of the training module, which suggests that I complete 12 miles for the total first week. I finished my week off running 13.5 miles. I was shooting for the advanced training schedule, which has one finishing at week's end a whopping 21 FREAKIN' MILES! Who has time to run all of these miles?!
I'm leaving you with a picture of my race number from the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile run. It is symbolic on one of two counts: 1) First organized race I've ever ran with 4000 people, 2) Lats pointed out to me that my birthday number "7" is neatly sandwiched between his birthday number, "25". How 'bout dem apples?!
Do me a favor and say a little prayer that my old knees don't give out before the 12 weeks of training is over!
P
P.S. I watched "Penelope" last night- very cute movie...and actually a role that is befitting for Cristina Ricci.
...which brings me to the state of my knees...I triumphantly finished 6 miles yesterday evening and I was feeling really nice afterwards, but after dinner, my old-ass knees started acting up. They are sooo sore this morning! Omg...so sore. At any rate, I "hate to toot my own horn", but I am very proud of myself that I finished this distance under an hour (I gave myself an hour to finish). Thus far, for my first week, I surpassed the intermediate level of the training module, which suggests that I complete 12 miles for the total first week. I finished my week off running 13.5 miles. I was shooting for the advanced training schedule, which has one finishing at week's end a whopping 21 FREAKIN' MILES! Who has time to run all of these miles?!
I'm leaving you with a picture of my race number from the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge 3.5 mile run. It is symbolic on one of two counts: 1) First organized race I've ever ran with 4000 people, 2) Lats pointed out to me that my birthday number "7" is neatly sandwiched between his birthday number, "25". How 'bout dem apples?!
Do me a favor and say a little prayer that my old knees don't give out before the 12 weeks of training is over!
P
P.S. I watched "Penelope" last night- very cute movie...and actually a role that is befitting for Cristina Ricci.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Doll Domination
As most of my friends and family know, I'm a self-proclaimed teeny-bopper; therefore, I just had to cop the new Pussycat Dolls' album, "Doll Domination". I listened to it on imeem.com prior to the purchase and I appreciated every track on that sophomore album.
By the way, did you get a chance to see Nicole Scherzinger's abs? Those girls are bad-ass chicks, bodies and all! It's actually great motivation for me to keep going to the gym...
My favorite tracks include: "Space", "Played", "Out of this Club", "Takin' All Over the World"...*sigh*...nevermind, the entire album is a hit! (I know, I'm just way too pumped right now, but I have to find something to grasp onto that infuses vigor and enthusiasm in my sometimes-mundane daily grind).
Enjoy,
P
P.S. I did also cop the SATC Special Edition dvd...man, I spoil myself sometimes (as most of you know, I ALREADY have the SATC companion book). =)
By the way, did you get a chance to see Nicole Scherzinger's abs? Those girls are bad-ass chicks, bodies and all! It's actually great motivation for me to keep going to the gym...
My favorite tracks include: "Space", "Played", "Out of this Club", "Takin' All Over the World"...*sigh*...nevermind, the entire album is a hit! (I know, I'm just way too pumped right now, but I have to find something to grasp onto that infuses vigor and enthusiasm in my sometimes-mundane daily grind).
Enjoy,
P
P.S. I did also cop the SATC Special Edition dvd...man, I spoil myself sometimes (as most of you know, I ALREADY have the SATC companion book). =)
Monday, September 22, 2008
been a grip
It's been a minute since my last post. A multitude of events happened last week, some mentionable and some un-mentionable.
I'll start with the MENTIONABLE:
- Came in 2nd in my company for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (3.5 mile race) last Wednesday in SF.
- Had a grand ole' time at our company picnic in the BBQ Terrace at the Oakland Coliseum while watching the A's game.
Now the UN-MENTIONABLE:
- Most men are really pussies in disguise.
- MOST MEN ARE REALLY PUSSIES IN DISGUISE.
I don't mean to be sexist, but it irks me when men put on a machismo facade when in reality, they are babies just like us women. I have to admit, it is a bit touching to see a grown man cry.
P
I'll start with the MENTIONABLE:
- Came in 2nd in my company for the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (3.5 mile race) last Wednesday in SF.
- Had a grand ole' time at our company picnic in the BBQ Terrace at the Oakland Coliseum while watching the A's game.
Now the UN-MENTIONABLE:
- Most men are really pussies in disguise.
- MOST MEN ARE REALLY PUSSIES IN DISGUISE.
I don't mean to be sexist, but it irks me when men put on a machismo facade when in reality, they are babies just like us women. I have to admit, it is a bit touching to see a grown man cry.
P
Friday, September 12, 2008
budget snack
Does anyone else think that eating Skyflakes is like eating compressed Popeye's biscuits? I ate some at work today and suddenly had that thought come to mind. At any rate, they're quite good when you need a snack and probably could be a substantial substitute for a meal.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
re-hash part deux
I must get this down before I start having memory lapses!
Okay, where were we? Fleur de Sel restaurant in the city- Do you remember when I said when Lats and I got to the restaurant there was only one other party of four there? I would say they were overtly-Republican white folks, mid-50s or so and older and probably commuted into the city from a New Jersey suburb (I was eavesdropping on their conversation; I tend to do that when a) Lats isn't talking to me, or b) when they're saying something noteworthy). At any rate, Lats and I were enjoying our first course and the other group was vehemently in a discussion about politics and other random, interspersed topics when the oldest fellow in the group blurted out, "Areola, you know, like the nipple!". OH MY! Apparently, it was in reference to a name that his wife (I'm assuming) was trying to pronounce and her husband was giving her some pointers- no pun intended, people.
Oh my. I was rollin' from that comment and from the other antics at the restaurant, mostly from my sheer stupidity.
So after the whole French 3-course experience, we headed over to the Brooklyn area to walk the infamous bridge. The entire bridge was what I expected, but I DID NOT expect to be walking on boardwalk planks situated above moving cars- mind you, crazy-ass New York drivers were driving! Lats kept reminding me to look down and see the drop into the green, somewhat murky water. Man, everytime I looked down, my knees would get weak and my tummy would do a somersault.
Long story short- we made it across the bridge and sauntered over to the grandiose pizzeria, Grimaldi's Pizzeria. Our asses waited in line for about an hour, give or take some change...when we finally made it into the coveted indoors, it surely resembled a typical NYC eatery/restaurant- brick walls, narrow hallways, crowded tables, shoulder-to-shoulder, elbows touching, the whole kit-n-caboodle. I couldn't exactly tell whether the pizza was delicious because it simply was or due to the fact that we waited so long in line and succumbed to the hype and jumped on the bandwagon for the sake of the shared experience. It just goes to show that sometimes we all want what everyone else wants!
Okay, here's part two of my saga. I know, folks, this is getting long and drawn out, but I can't write the entire segment in one sitting. I'm just too darn busy these days! Stay tuned for the last and final segment of my rendezvous with the East coast.
No embellishments,
P
Okay, where were we? Fleur de Sel restaurant in the city- Do you remember when I said when Lats and I got to the restaurant there was only one other party of four there? I would say they were overtly-Republican white folks, mid-50s or so and older and probably commuted into the city from a New Jersey suburb (I was eavesdropping on their conversation; I tend to do that when a) Lats isn't talking to me, or b) when they're saying something noteworthy). At any rate, Lats and I were enjoying our first course and the other group was vehemently in a discussion about politics and other random, interspersed topics when the oldest fellow in the group blurted out, "Areola, you know, like the nipple!". OH MY! Apparently, it was in reference to a name that his wife (I'm assuming) was trying to pronounce and her husband was giving her some pointers- no pun intended, people.
Oh my. I was rollin' from that comment and from the other antics at the restaurant, mostly from my sheer stupidity.
So after the whole French 3-course experience, we headed over to the Brooklyn area to walk the infamous bridge. The entire bridge was what I expected, but I DID NOT expect to be walking on boardwalk planks situated above moving cars- mind you, crazy-ass New York drivers were driving! Lats kept reminding me to look down and see the drop into the green, somewhat murky water. Man, everytime I looked down, my knees would get weak and my tummy would do a somersault.
Long story short- we made it across the bridge and sauntered over to the grandiose pizzeria, Grimaldi's Pizzeria. Our asses waited in line for about an hour, give or take some change...when we finally made it into the coveted indoors, it surely resembled a typical NYC eatery/restaurant- brick walls, narrow hallways, crowded tables, shoulder-to-shoulder, elbows touching, the whole kit-n-caboodle. I couldn't exactly tell whether the pizza was delicious because it simply was or due to the fact that we waited so long in line and succumbed to the hype and jumped on the bandwagon for the sake of the shared experience. It just goes to show that sometimes we all want what everyone else wants!
Okay, here's part two of my saga. I know, folks, this is getting long and drawn out, but I can't write the entire segment in one sitting. I'm just too darn busy these days! Stay tuned for the last and final segment of my rendezvous with the East coast.
No embellishments,
P
Monday, September 8, 2008
digression
I know I was supposed to give y'all part two of my re-cap rehash, but upon reading The Times this morning, I came across this cool article on traveling to Europe and how you can employ more frugality in your traveling finances (especially since the Euro puts the American dollar to shame).
http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/lesons-from-the-frugal-grand-tour/?em
Ironic that this article popped up recently because I was just telling my sister and mom that I wanted to live in a tiny apartment and travel overseas. I am trying to save to go to the Philippines and Italy in the next coming two years. I figure it's a lot easier to travel while you're young (relatively young, haha) and not strapped to homebase by a mortgage or family.
P
http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/lesons-from-the-frugal-grand-tour/?em
Ironic that this article popped up recently because I was just telling my sister and mom that I wanted to live in a tiny apartment and travel overseas. I am trying to save to go to the Philippines and Italy in the next coming two years. I figure it's a lot easier to travel while you're young (relatively young, haha) and not strapped to homebase by a mortgage or family.
P
Friday, September 5, 2008
trip re-cap
Okay, so I'm super-overdue with the re-hashing of my trip details. Sue me.
Anyway, this past long weekend in NYC was probably one of my most favorites of all time-simply due to the absolutely GORGEOUS weather and the fact that I was "hoofing" it in and around the borroughs with mah Boo Bear!
Here is somewhat an extensive thumbnail sketch of what kinda trouble I got into:
8/29/08 Friday: Touched down at 11:30 pm in LaGuardia. Lats picked me up and we rolled into the city to get some lamb and rice since Lord knows I've been buggin' him to take me to get Halal food. It surely didn't disappoint. I need to find a Halal joint here in the Bay to satiate my withdrawals from the chicken and rice vendor carts. Went back to Lats' pad in Jersey City and hung out like mofos (*wink*).
8/30/08 Saturday: Woke up. Made Lats' some bangin' omelettes (leftover hot dogs and sharp cheddar cheese enveloped in about 8 eggs- yes, I completely wiped out his entire carton of eggs). We played video games- more like Lats zoned out on his PS3 while I sat around, but hey, I brought my PSP too. Went to Lats' parents' house and watched "Wowowee" (don't watch it; it's a corny-ass show on TFC!). Ate at Fiesta Grill in Jersey City for the most bombest sisig (I'm telling you, I've ordered sisig all up and down NorCal and can't find any that is as good as the one at this Jersey joint)! Anyway, after that mass carnage, we got some drank at Safe-Rite and went back to the crib to imbibe.
(Man, Lats has a sexy-ass profile! oooooOOOOoooo)
We wound up getting trashed in the apartment and rolled out to meet up with J-Dizzle at Stay in the city (our only road-dawg since everyone was out-of-town or not trying to kick it). We apparently only hit up the spots that don't have cover charges...haha! At any rate, I had a fab time, but what was even more gratifying was going to St. Mark's place...wait a minute...BACK UP! I forgot to mention that J.D. drove us in Mom's Corolla to St. Mark's after our stint at Stay with his SHIRT OFF! That mofo done ripped off his shirt after I was talking hella shiet about his reptile tats. lol...COMEDY. Word to the wise- Don't talk about salamanders or J.D. will show some skin.
I digress...okay, back to the topic at hand- we hit up this little hallway of a Japanese eatery called "Udon West" and had the most banginest (yes, I know it's not a word but made-up ghetto words define the moment with more clarity) UDON!
Basically...icing on the cake.
9/1/08 Sunday: Reservations at "Fleur de Sel" at noon. Omg. Hangover though! Caught the PATH into the city and walked around Union Square for a few to kill some time before our reservation. I managed to skirt by the Whole Foods in the area to use the restroom...this particular store was a work-of-art! Three floors of organic food heaven! You know I was absolutely dying to peruse up and down the aisles and check out all of the eclectic food selections, but Lats was outside of the store waiting for me and we all know how gosh-darn impatient he is and can get. The story of NYC: long-ass lines...even to the restroom! It was so gross too because I was behind some goth chic clad in low-riding skinny jeans...so low that I saw some black butt hair creeping up to her lower back. GROSSssssssss!
Headed over to Fleur de Sel off of E. 20th Street. I was so uber-excited that I trailed behind the only other party (of 4) in the restaurant after the hostess escorted them in! Oh my! Lats yanked me and was like, "Babe! Where are you going?! You don't even know where you're going to sit!". Let's just blame that first episode on the night before's debauchery.
We had the 3-course lunch selection minus the flights of accompanying wines since we overloaded a bit too much the night before.
**EDIT: This post is getting too long to do in one sitting, and I hate to do this, but TO BE CONTINUED!**
Anyway, this past long weekend in NYC was probably one of my most favorites of all time-simply due to the absolutely GORGEOUS weather and the fact that I was "hoofing" it in and around the borroughs with mah Boo Bear!
Here is somewhat an extensive thumbnail sketch of what kinda trouble I got into:
8/29/08 Friday: Touched down at 11:30 pm in LaGuardia. Lats picked me up and we rolled into the city to get some lamb and rice since Lord knows I've been buggin' him to take me to get Halal food. It surely didn't disappoint. I need to find a Halal joint here in the Bay to satiate my withdrawals from the chicken and rice vendor carts. Went back to Lats' pad in Jersey City and hung out like mofos (*wink*).
8/30/08 Saturday: Woke up. Made Lats' some bangin' omelettes (leftover hot dogs and sharp cheddar cheese enveloped in about 8 eggs- yes, I completely wiped out his entire carton of eggs). We played video games- more like Lats zoned out on his PS3 while I sat around, but hey, I brought my PSP too. Went to Lats' parents' house and watched "Wowowee" (don't watch it; it's a corny-ass show on TFC!). Ate at Fiesta Grill in Jersey City for the most bombest sisig (I'm telling you, I've ordered sisig all up and down NorCal and can't find any that is as good as the one at this Jersey joint)! Anyway, after that mass carnage, we got some drank at Safe-Rite and went back to the crib to imbibe.
(Man, Lats has a sexy-ass profile! oooooOOOOoooo)
We wound up getting trashed in the apartment and rolled out to meet up with J-Dizzle at Stay in the city (our only road-dawg since everyone was out-of-town or not trying to kick it). We apparently only hit up the spots that don't have cover charges...haha! At any rate, I had a fab time, but what was even more gratifying was going to St. Mark's place...wait a minute...BACK UP! I forgot to mention that J.D. drove us in Mom's Corolla to St. Mark's after our stint at Stay with his SHIRT OFF! That mofo done ripped off his shirt after I was talking hella shiet about his reptile tats. lol...COMEDY. Word to the wise- Don't talk about salamanders or J.D. will show some skin.
I digress...okay, back to the topic at hand- we hit up this little hallway of a Japanese eatery called "Udon West" and had the most banginest (yes, I know it's not a word but made-up ghetto words define the moment with more clarity) UDON!
Basically...icing on the cake.
9/1/08 Sunday: Reservations at "Fleur de Sel" at noon. Omg. Hangover though! Caught the PATH into the city and walked around Union Square for a few to kill some time before our reservation. I managed to skirt by the Whole Foods in the area to use the restroom...this particular store was a work-of-art! Three floors of organic food heaven! You know I was absolutely dying to peruse up and down the aisles and check out all of the eclectic food selections, but Lats was outside of the store waiting for me and we all know how gosh-darn impatient he is and can get. The story of NYC: long-ass lines...even to the restroom! It was so gross too because I was behind some goth chic clad in low-riding skinny jeans...so low that I saw some black butt hair creeping up to her lower back. GROSSssssssss!
Headed over to Fleur de Sel off of E. 20th Street. I was so uber-excited that I trailed behind the only other party (of 4) in the restaurant after the hostess escorted them in! Oh my! Lats yanked me and was like, "Babe! Where are you going?! You don't even know where you're going to sit!". Let's just blame that first episode on the night before's debauchery.
We had the 3-course lunch selection minus the flights of accompanying wines since we overloaded a bit too much the night before.
**EDIT: This post is getting too long to do in one sitting, and I hate to do this, but TO BE CONTINUED!**
Monday, September 1, 2008
stay tuned
I'm in New York right now...well, actually, more like Jersey City. I've been having a blast and have oodles of stories to tell and experiences to share on what little time I have to spend with mah Boo Bear (see "Inside Joke" post about the Muffin Man). NyC is definitely one of dem things that actually lives up to the hype.
Stay tuned for the updates and pictures!
Happy Laboring.
P
Stay tuned for the updates and pictures!
Happy Laboring.
P
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
psycho-fanatic
Geez, I love these tests that pseudo-probe into your psyche and spit out answers!
Check out the Best Online Psychology Tests from the NY Times: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/best-online-psychology-tests/?em
You know me- always one to analyze, hyper-analyze, and then re-analyze and then do it all over again. It's a great mental treadmill; try it sometime.
My mind just may be more fit than my bod *smirk*,
P
P.S. No, not cocky...not even convinced...maybe just REAL? haha- just messin' wit' cha'!
Check out the Best Online Psychology Tests from the NY Times: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/best-online-psychology-tests/?em
You know me- always one to analyze, hyper-analyze, and then re-analyze and then do it all over again. It's a great mental treadmill; try it sometime.
My mind just may be more fit than my bod *smirk*,
P
P.S. No, not cocky...not even convinced...maybe just REAL? haha- just messin' wit' cha'!
new hopeful: pet Aussie
So I took Cookie for a walk yesterday and ran into a neighbor that has a Mini Australian Shepherd that is the cutest lil' booger. We strolled over to the park and let our dogs off-leash and I absolutely fell in love with the dynamics between Cookie and the Aussie. Cookie loves to be chased and Australian Shepherds love to do the chasing and herding, so it deems for a blissful union. It was so adorable to see their interaction and I guessed that maybe Riley (the Aussie) thought Cookie was a baby lamb/sheep of some sort due to her curly ringlets and lamb-like body.
Since Australian Shepherds are notorious for their herding instinct, this seems to be the most perfect breed for Cookie- she is in dire need of a playmate of some sort because playing fetch with her becomes a tiresome effort into the wee hours of the night. I need a dog that will wear Cookie's ass out so I can catch some zzz's!
Therefore, I am planning on rescuing a Mini Aussie, but I know we are slightly over-capacity in my household and one more pet (in and amongst my other "pets") would just be utter chaos!
P
Since Australian Shepherds are notorious for their herding instinct, this seems to be the most perfect breed for Cookie- she is in dire need of a playmate of some sort because playing fetch with her becomes a tiresome effort into the wee hours of the night. I need a dog that will wear Cookie's ass out so I can catch some zzz's!
Therefore, I am planning on rescuing a Mini Aussie, but I know we are slightly over-capacity in my household and one more pet (in and amongst my other "pets") would just be utter chaos!
P
Thursday, August 21, 2008
anti-climactic
Even though Misty and Kerri won another gold-and no other American team has done this-the whole sweep was anti-climactic for me. Maybe I was just moody yesterday and didn't really want to deal with the world. At any rate, they accomplished an impressive feat and I'm still very proud of them! And to add to that- they kicked some azn ass in the rain!
Crossing that international date line is really messing up my entire Olympics experience because everytime I read the news or the Times, all of the winners are already posted! I am so disappointed that Allyson Felix didn't win the 200m...and I can't believe Usain Bolt beat Michael Johnson's world record! I guess since I watched the Olympics when Michael Johnson sported his gold shoes and witnessed his basking in his glory, I didn't want his realm to come to an untimely end with the dominance of a Jamaican 21-year old. Not to mention, Michael Johnson is way more handsome than Bolt.
Crossing that international date line is really messing up my entire Olympics experience because everytime I read the news or the Times, all of the winners are already posted! I am so disappointed that Allyson Felix didn't win the 200m...and I can't believe Usain Bolt beat Michael Johnson's world record! I guess since I watched the Olympics when Michael Johnson sported his gold shoes and witnessed his basking in his glory, I didn't want his realm to come to an untimely end with the dominance of a Jamaican 21-year old. Not to mention, Michael Johnson is way more handsome than Bolt.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
inside joke
Oh do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man?
Oh do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?
Yes I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man.
Yes I know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane.
Brown muffins are the BEST!
P
The muffin man, the muffin man?
Oh do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?
Yes I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man.
Yes I know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane.
Brown muffins are the BEST!
P
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
'are you that somebody' nostalgia
I'm at work listening to Pandora Radio and just had an instantaneous flashback as soon as Aaliyah's, "Are You That Somebody" song came on. This song is so old! I remember hearing this song for the first time the summer before my senior year of high school-the distinctive baby giggle interwoven into the unique Timberland technotronic beat and voice undertones.
This was the summer I watched Aaliyah's music video of this song multiple times a day (I was a hard-core MTV TRL junkie). I remember envying my sister for having the Nike Humeras, which were the very ones that Aaliyah wore in the video completely clad with her baggy gray cargo pants and half-spandex shirt bearing her tight abs. Might I add that she had very nice green eye make-up as well...man, my memory is uncanny and remarkable!
I remember wanting to sport my sister's brand new Humeras before she even had the chance to wear 'em. I was a horrible, greedy older sister! My sister was so gracious enough to let me wear all of her new clothes before she even had the opportunity to tear off the tags. In retrospect, I wonder what the hell I bribed Poose with to get her ass to let me wear her ish before she even did (Poose, if you're reading this, fill me in on what I blackmailed you to do...HAHA!). Oh well, since my feet were bigger, I broke dem bad boys in so by the time she wore those kicks, they were nice and broken-in. I digress...
At any rate, this song was a precursor to one of my most memorable years. Kinda ironic how the title of the song would prove to foreshadow my relationship status throughout the subsequent years. Never really found that somebody...
...Until now.
You know who you are.
P
***Edit: OMG, did I just type those last few lines?! Soooo mushy and corny as shiet! Oh well, I'm feeling extra-sensitive since it's about that time. *wink****
This was the summer I watched Aaliyah's music video of this song multiple times a day (I was a hard-core MTV TRL junkie). I remember envying my sister for having the Nike Humeras, which were the very ones that Aaliyah wore in the video completely clad with her baggy gray cargo pants and half-spandex shirt bearing her tight abs. Might I add that she had very nice green eye make-up as well...man, my memory is uncanny and remarkable!
I remember wanting to sport my sister's brand new Humeras before she even had the chance to wear 'em. I was a horrible, greedy older sister! My sister was so gracious enough to let me wear all of her new clothes before she even had the opportunity to tear off the tags. In retrospect, I wonder what the hell I bribed Poose with to get her ass to let me wear her ish before she even did (Poose, if you're reading this, fill me in on what I blackmailed you to do...HAHA!). Oh well, since my feet were bigger, I broke dem bad boys in so by the time she wore those kicks, they were nice and broken-in. I digress...
At any rate, this song was a precursor to one of my most memorable years. Kinda ironic how the title of the song would prove to foreshadow my relationship status throughout the subsequent years. Never really found that somebody...
...Until now.
You know who you are.
P
***Edit: OMG, did I just type those last few lines?! Soooo mushy and corny as shiet! Oh well, I'm feeling extra-sensitive since it's about that time. *wink****
Monday, August 18, 2008
self-help fodder
So many noteworthy things happened over the weekend and I've been trying to mentally segment them in my mind so I can regurgitate them on my blog in a semi-organized fashion. I read the NY Times this morning and had an "Aha!" moment (I love when that happens when I read the paper). The article that I read that turned on my mental lightbulb is called: "Winners Never Quit? Well, Yes They Do". Here' the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/16/business/16shortcuts.html?pagewanted=1&em. I promise you this is a fabulous article and worth clicking on!
A couple of quotes from the article particularly resonated with me- rightly so since I am the midst of cutting some things out of my life that are unnecessary and devoting my time to more worthy causes.
Professor Miller and his colleagues have followed college students, older people and the parents of children with cancer and found that, in many cases, moving from a difficult goal to another, more attainable, one can create a greater sense of well-being, both mentally and physically.
In the September issue of the journal Psychological Science, Professor Miller, along with Carsten Wrosch, associate professor of psychology at Concordia University, reported that they had followed 90 teenagers for one year. The study found those who could not renounce hard-to-attain goals showed increased levels of the inflammatory molecule C-reactive protein, which is linked to such health problems as heart disease, diabetes and early aging in adults.
Kathleen D. Vohs, a professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, has also studied the issue, largely in relation to people who regularly overspend and to chronic dieters. She said that people need internal resources to attain their goals, and “if you are a pursuing a goal that is constantly frustrating, you will be less successful in goal attainment in other areas of life.
The truth is, it sometimes shows more courage to leave than to stay.
I play for a band right now that eats up my time during the week, weekends, and holidays, but it's probably one of the most enjoyable and cathartic experiences I partake in. Unfortunately, I'm on one of the biggest fitness kicks ever (which probably supersedes my 18-year old glory days *smirks* j/k) and I don't really want to nix my kickboxing classes for good ol' band camp.
Furthermore, there are other aspects of my life that I want to improve upon, which undoubtedly means that I am forced to take the bulls by the horns, look fear in the eyes, and face the fears of quitting. In this sense, "quitting" would mean spending and/or shopping. I had a very recent shopping fiasco yesterday while I was at work (yes, work on a Sunday) where I went to the Walnut Creek Nordstrom's on my break (incubation time point). Mind you, I had only about 40 minutes to spare before I had to be back to the lab and I spent more than half of that time trying to find parking in downtown Dub C. Luckily, I found parking and managed to coast (more like sprint) to the junior's section of Nordstrom and try on FOUR pairs of jeans! FOUR!!! What's even more pathetic is the fact that I tried each pair of jeans TWICE! Okay, I'm a bit neurotic, I know. Thank goodness I didn't lose my entire sense of discretion and I only walked out of that store with two pairs of jeans. I'm such a moron too because I didn't really allot myself too much time to find where the hell I parked my car either- how about I was running around W.C. amongst the swarms of boughie (pronunciation: boo-jee) shoppers trying to put a finger on where my car was!
Long story short- found my car, expanded my jeans wardrobe by 2, and I still haven't thought about quitting the shopping addiction.
It doesn't help I'm three books into the Shopaholic series.
P
A couple of quotes from the article particularly resonated with me- rightly so since I am the midst of cutting some things out of my life that are unnecessary and devoting my time to more worthy causes.
Professor Miller and his colleagues have followed college students, older people and the parents of children with cancer and found that, in many cases, moving from a difficult goal to another, more attainable, one can create a greater sense of well-being, both mentally and physically.
In the September issue of the journal Psychological Science, Professor Miller, along with Carsten Wrosch, associate professor of psychology at Concordia University, reported that they had followed 90 teenagers for one year. The study found those who could not renounce hard-to-attain goals showed increased levels of the inflammatory molecule C-reactive protein, which is linked to such health problems as heart disease, diabetes and early aging in adults.
Kathleen D. Vohs, a professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, has also studied the issue, largely in relation to people who regularly overspend and to chronic dieters. She said that people need internal resources to attain their goals, and “if you are a pursuing a goal that is constantly frustrating, you will be less successful in goal attainment in other areas of life.
The truth is, it sometimes shows more courage to leave than to stay.
I play for a band right now that eats up my time during the week, weekends, and holidays, but it's probably one of the most enjoyable and cathartic experiences I partake in. Unfortunately, I'm on one of the biggest fitness kicks ever (which probably supersedes my 18-year old glory days *smirks* j/k) and I don't really want to nix my kickboxing classes for good ol' band camp.
Furthermore, there are other aspects of my life that I want to improve upon, which undoubtedly means that I am forced to take the bulls by the horns, look fear in the eyes, and face the fears of quitting. In this sense, "quitting" would mean spending and/or shopping. I had a very recent shopping fiasco yesterday while I was at work (yes, work on a Sunday) where I went to the Walnut Creek Nordstrom's on my break (incubation time point). Mind you, I had only about 40 minutes to spare before I had to be back to the lab and I spent more than half of that time trying to find parking in downtown Dub C. Luckily, I found parking and managed to coast (more like sprint) to the junior's section of Nordstrom and try on FOUR pairs of jeans! FOUR!!! What's even more pathetic is the fact that I tried each pair of jeans TWICE! Okay, I'm a bit neurotic, I know. Thank goodness I didn't lose my entire sense of discretion and I only walked out of that store with two pairs of jeans. I'm such a moron too because I didn't really allot myself too much time to find where the hell I parked my car either- how about I was running around W.C. amongst the swarms of boughie (pronunciation: boo-jee) shoppers trying to put a finger on where my car was!
Long story short- found my car, expanded my jeans wardrobe by 2, and I still haven't thought about quitting the shopping addiction.
It doesn't help I'm three books into the Shopaholic series.
P
Friday, August 15, 2008
one bad-ass Filipina
Well, I could easily say that I'm referring to myself but that would be a bit too narcissistic. *chuckles* Ladies and gents, I'm talking about my girl, Natalie Coughlin...homegirl is holdin' it down with her stellar performances in Beijing. I am so proud to be a Filipina right now!
There is talk that Natalie looks like a pinay with her goggles on...
Eh, sorta kinda...
At any rate, it's been a grip since I've written in my blog. I've had too many preponderances and distractions to keep me from ranting, but I'll do better next week. I got my latest issues of Bon Appetit in the mail today, so I found some substantial material to blog about- food diaries are the best!
Enjoy the Olympics-
P
There is talk that Natalie looks like a pinay with her goggles on...
Eh, sorta kinda...
At any rate, it's been a grip since I've written in my blog. I've had too many preponderances and distractions to keep me from ranting, but I'll do better next week. I got my latest issues of Bon Appetit in the mail today, so I found some substantial material to blog about- food diaries are the best!
Enjoy the Olympics-
P
Monday, August 11, 2008
what dreams are made of
What the hell?! I freakin' missed this shiet last night! I watched the re-cap this morning though. Very thrilling! Go U.S.A.! And it isn't all about Michael Phelps either!
On another note- Jimmy (my brother) dragged me to 24-hour fitness to join yet another athletic club since he needs a motivating work-out bud (I already have membership to one)...this is for a good cause, but I am hoping I don't get burned out. We've been doing cardio the entire weekend, so tonight, we'll be parlayin' in the hip-hop dance class. Aww suki suki now.
P
On another note- Jimmy (my brother) dragged me to 24-hour fitness to join yet another athletic club since he needs a motivating work-out bud (I already have membership to one)...this is for a good cause, but I am hoping I don't get burned out. We've been doing cardio the entire weekend, so tonight, we'll be parlayin' in the hip-hop dance class. Aww suki suki now.
P
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Mary-Kate Olsen is a tease!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid435563647/bctid1704030941
I peeped this video of Mary-Kate at the British Elle mag shoot in a feeble attempt to really uncover this mystery of a girl. The girl is fkn out there and bizarre as shiet...makes you wanna get to know the "real" her and what the hell she knows about Heath Ledger's drug fiasco.
I peeped this video of Mary-Kate at the British Elle mag shoot in a feeble attempt to really uncover this mystery of a girl. The girl is fkn out there and bizarre as shiet...makes you wanna get to know the "real" her and what the hell she knows about Heath Ledger's drug fiasco.
natural aphrodisiac
Upon reading the news this morning, I discovered that eating watermelon has Viagra-like effects! Whaaaaaaaa?! Oh well, listen up guys. Read more on this marvel here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25511199/wid/11915773/.
And where the hell do you get these square-shaped watermelons? They're cute and I also like the mini ones at the grocery store. One of these days I'll go and pick one of the baby watermelons and some of those baby bananas. =D
Fellas buy dem watermelons and call yo' girl up!
P
And where the hell do you get these square-shaped watermelons? They're cute and I also like the mini ones at the grocery store. One of these days I'll go and pick one of the baby watermelons and some of those baby bananas. =D
Fellas buy dem watermelons and call yo' girl up!
P
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
close-call
I'm so happy! I went to Kaiser's today to get my sketchy mole checked out and it's not cancerous!
I feel sorry for Cristina Applegate though since she was newly diagnosed with breast cancer. I'll prolly wind up getting brain cancer or some crazy shiet since I KNOW I rack up minutes on my cell!
P
I feel sorry for Cristina Applegate though since she was newly diagnosed with breast cancer. I'll prolly wind up getting brain cancer or some crazy shiet since I KNOW I rack up minutes on my cell!
P
Monday, August 4, 2008
swagger
I'm watching the "Teen Choice Awards" (so what, I am a teeny-bopper at heart) and I couldn't stop drooling when Channing Tatum accepted his surfboard award! That man got swagger like whoa!!! OMG, this is more than a crush. *sigh*
Is he still dating Jenna Dewan anyone? Lucky b*tch.
Love the preppy look on this man as well.
Is he still dating Jenna Dewan anyone? Lucky b*tch.
Love the preppy look on this man as well. And did y'all see Chris Brown tear up the stage? I'd pop his zits any day! (in reference to the photo-op the paparazzi managed to score in Ocean City, MD where Rihanna was poppin' his whiteheads...they really are normal!).
My life is more exciting than some daym celebrity.
P
Sunday, August 3, 2008
insomnia
I can't sleep.
My pooch has been getting me up the entire night.
1:52 am She barks at me. I don't want to go outside and take her out (since Lord knows I've been stopped by a cop at that hour before- and not even for violating the law; the cop stopped me to make fun of me for spoiling my dog), so I just settle to opening my room door so she can have free, full roam to the rest of the house. Big mistake.
2:30 am Cookie comes back into the room and barks and then leaves. Good, I can get some rest up in dis' piece.
3:48 am I wake up to a sound in the living room. Oh gosh. She's gotten into the trash! NO! I get up and look down the hallway. I see a familiar object- something white in her mouth. Shit, toilet paper again? I run down the hallway in an effort to wrench the t.p. from her mouth, but I'm way too fkn tired. I admit defeat and let her run through the entire house t.p.'ing it to her heart's glee. I'm thinking to myself, okay, she'll wear herself out and I can finally get some good, quality zzz's. I go back to my room and close the door.
4: 50 am A scratch at the door. Shit. It's Cookie knocking. Fine, I let her in. She barks at me, but not the I-want-your-attention-pet-me-bark. It's the I-gotta-take-a-fat-shit-bark. Oh gosh. I get my dumbass up and take her out. She does her thang.
SO WHY THE FCK AM I UP RIGHT NOW BLOGGING ABOUT IT?! Meanwhile, the pooch is knocked the eff out on my bed all comfy and cozy while I'm wide-eyed over here.
Oh yeah, because I'm a fkn loser and my dog has me whipped.
P
My pooch has been getting me up the entire night.
1:52 am She barks at me. I don't want to go outside and take her out (since Lord knows I've been stopped by a cop at that hour before- and not even for violating the law; the cop stopped me to make fun of me for spoiling my dog), so I just settle to opening my room door so she can have free, full roam to the rest of the house. Big mistake.
2:30 am Cookie comes back into the room and barks and then leaves. Good, I can get some rest up in dis' piece.
3:48 am I wake up to a sound in the living room. Oh gosh. She's gotten into the trash! NO! I get up and look down the hallway. I see a familiar object- something white in her mouth. Shit, toilet paper again? I run down the hallway in an effort to wrench the t.p. from her mouth, but I'm way too fkn tired. I admit defeat and let her run through the entire house t.p.'ing it to her heart's glee. I'm thinking to myself, okay, she'll wear herself out and I can finally get some good, quality zzz's. I go back to my room and close the door.
4: 50 am A scratch at the door. Shit. It's Cookie knocking. Fine, I let her in. She barks at me, but not the I-want-your-attention-pet-me-bark. It's the I-gotta-take-a-fat-shit-bark. Oh gosh. I get my dumbass up and take her out. She does her thang.
SO WHY THE FCK AM I UP RIGHT NOW BLOGGING ABOUT IT?! Meanwhile, the pooch is knocked the eff out on my bed all comfy and cozy while I'm wide-eyed over here.
Oh yeah, because I'm a fkn loser and my dog has me whipped.
P
Saturday, August 2, 2008
a craving
I want this! I spotted this lovely, crinkled leather jacket on Abercrombie.com. I can't believe it's going for $498 though! Since when did Abercrombie sell lux leather at that obnoxious price!?
Friday, August 1, 2008
endurance
In light of the start of the Olympics in 7 days, I decided to post some of my favorite, awe-inspiring female athletes. Yah, kinda cheesy, but these women motivate me and teach me physical and mental tenacity. I was at the gym after work today doing my usual Boot Camp interval and my spunky instructor/trainer, Chrissy, is just phenomenal. She motivates you to take her classes and go to the gym. It's truly amazing how much your mind controls your body and if you tell your mind to do something, the body naturally follows. Chrissy kept barking at us during our weight intervals to "endure" and push through our sets. Having the mental and physical capacity to endure through trials (or sets at the gym in this case) is what builds character and gets you through life. Remember, life has its funny, sad, happy, miserable, and trying moments and nobody gets through it alive. So cherish your moments today, get yo' swagger on, love life, be happy, be kind, and the rest will follow.
An emotional post, I know, but I just got back from walking Cookie a bit ago and had a great conversation with my other neighbors while they were walking their dogs too and felt really refreshed to hear their journeys through relationships...you know, the meat...the drama.
Jennie Finch is so fkn hot! Dang girl is like 6'1"! I admire her because she's holding down the fort with her son and husband and STILL is winning gold medals for the U.S. I'm stoked to see her pitch in Beijing! 
Endure,
P
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